Hard to Tell the Good Guys from the Bad

GBF is partnering with CurrentCast to share information they develop with other partners about water stewardship and sustainability in the Great Lakes and surrounding watersheds.

It can be hard to tell the good guys from the bad…on this CurrentCast.Blue green algae aren’t all bad. After all, there are about 6,000 different species…Boyer: And there are probably only a hundred or so that are known to make toxins that would be considered harmful.That’s Greg Boyer of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He says the organisms are some of the oldest and most diverse on the planet. They thrive in sun, warmth, and calm waters. But add to that too many nutrients, and they can bloom out of control.Some blooms make toxins that can be harmful if ingested, touched, or even inhaled. But others do not…the trouble is you can’t tell which is which without a toxicity test. So, play it safe… if you see an algal bloom – stay away.

CurrentCast is a project of the Center for Transformative Action based at Cornell University. CurrentCast is produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University provides scientific content support and reviews all editorial ideas. CurrentCast is produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.CurrentCast content is owned by ChavoBart Digital Media, Inc. Learn more online at CurrentCast.org.